Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“You wouldn’t be another item on his to-do list, Ryder. You’d be his break from it all.”
“Maybe you’re right. It’s just too soon to plan anything beyond June.”
“Did you two discuss your next step as a couple? Where do you go from here?”
“There’s nothing to discuss, because a long-distance relationship is our only option. I want to be with him so damn much, but I can’t give up the ranch. At the same time, I would never ask him to choose me over his career. With all of his talent, he’s going to be incredibly successful. He’ll only end up resenting me if I get in the way of that.”
“Yeah, I guess long distance really is your only choice,” Tank said. “Well, that or break up, which I know you’re not about to do. It’s obvious you’re totally into this guy.”
It was more than that. I was falling in love with Hal, but I wasn’t ready to admit it—not to Tank or anyone else.
I ended up hanging out with my friend the rest of the day. He made us lunch, and we watched ESPN for about five hours straight.
At one point, Hal sent me a message to let me know he’d arrived safely, and that he was going out to get some coffee with his friend Logan, who’d picked him up from the airport. He also promised to check in before bed. It felt oddly impersonal to be back to texting, after having him right beside me for the last few days.
In the late afternoon, Tank invited me to stay for dinner, but I told him I needed to get going. Dwight had already given up his Sunday to take care of the ranch. While he’d said he was happy to make that extra money, I wanted to make sure he had a chance to get some rest before the week started.
I stopped off at the store before leaving Austin and got myself groceries for the week, along with a case of Dwight’s favorite beer. I gave that to him when I got home, as a thank you for the extra work he’d done so I could free up some time for Hal.
After he took off, I put away the groceries, changed into my work clothes, and got busy. Dwight had already gotten all the animals where they needed to be for the night, but there was always extra work to do.
I spent the next several hours cleaning, organizing, and moving stuff around, until exhaustion forced me to take a seat on the porch. My dogs gathered around me, but instead of settling in, it seemed like they were waiting for something—or someone. “If you’re expecting Hal to show up, I hate to break it to you but he went back home,” I told them. “It was nice having him here, wasn’t it?”
The stillness of the ranch settled around me. Usually, I found it soothing. This evening though, it just added to my blue mood.
I missed Hal so much that it was a physical ache. My chest felt hollow.
But I knew I was going to have to get used to it. Every time we got together, it would inevitably be followed by saying goodbye and being apart for weeks, or months. This ache was going to become my new normal.
It took me a while to realize I was shivering. I’d worked up a sweat, and it had cooled on my skin. I got up and held the door for the dogs so they could come inside with me. Then I went and stood under a hot shower for a while.
After that, I put on an old Henley and a pair of pajama pants, plugged in my phone on the nightstand, and climbed into bed. It was still early, but I didn’t have the energy for anything else.
Then I noticed something under the covers on Hal’s side of the bed. I’d totally forgotten that he’d left something for me. I picked up the silky black camisole and rubbed it against my cheek before inhaling his clean, familiar scent. He’d left his scent on his pillow too, and on the blankets. It was incredibly soothing. I closed my eyes, clutching the delicate garment to my chest, and let myself get lost in it.
When my phone rang sometime later and I saw Hal’s name on the screen, it instantly made me smile. I turned on the lamp on my nightstand and answered the video call with, “Hi, baby. How’re you doing?”
“I miss you like crazy.”
“I miss you, too. I’m surprised you’re in bed. Isn’t it about nine o’clock there?”
“Yeah, but I’m completely wiped out.” He sighed and muttered, “I can’t believe I have to go to school tomorrow. I don’t know how I’m going to shift gears and get back to my regular grind.”